BILLY TWINKLE: REQUIEM FOR A GOLDEN BOY by Ronnie Burkett (Factory Mainstage, 125 Bathurst). To October 24. See Continuing. Rating: NNNN
Billy Twinkle: Requiem For A Golden Boy is a mid-career triumph for puppeteer Ronnie Burkett, a bittersweet love letter to the art form he’s embraced and transformed.
Aboard a cruise ship, cynical, middle-aged puppeteer Billy is fired after a meltdown during one of his shows. Drowning in self-pity (and a whole ocean of bad nautical metaphors), he attempts suicide, only to be rescued by the spirit of his former mentor, Sid, who forces him to re-examine his life – as a puppet show, naturally.
The appearance of the Shakespeare-spouting Sid is initially confusing – who is he, and why does he sound like Harvey Fierstein? But Burkett soon strings us along with his tale of Billy’s prairie upbringing and early puppet inspirations, his burgeoning sexuality (a scene where he’s seduced by a much older man sizzles with tension) and his later success and disillusionment.
Punctuating the show are a series of workshops where Billy (who physically resembles his creator) meets up with the people who become his surrogate family: the redheaded misfit Benji, the kind-hearted but talentless Doreen Gray and, especially, the thespian Sid.
Burkett’s craft is as astonishing as ever. Several scenes feature puppets manipulating puppets, and you believe them because they all seem real. Look for one scene when Billy’s eyes slowly close when he hears some news: it’s staggering in its simplicity.
Every inch of the set, dominated by the big cruise ship, is used to maximum effect, and John Alcorn’s music and sound help mix up the show’s moods. Most remarkable is Burkett’s dramatic range. He’s a damn fine actor, whether he’s playing an old man performing the Bard’s Juliet or a bored lover addicted to IKEA makeovers.
One note: Billy Twinkle is about a specific profession, but its theme about cocky upstarts, mentors and making peace with one’s past applies to any field. Burkett, like all great artists, is universal in his reach.
